The presence, absence, strength or weakness of Unions is a matter of Wages in general – both union and nonunion - moving (a) toward de-concentration of wealth, or (b) toward further concentration of wealth. Period. Case closed. End of story.

It’s that simple.

Budgetary flim flam for deconstructing Union strength is exactly that - flim flam. Budgets have both a revenue component and an expense component. You attack your regions Wage levels by undermining any given Union and your Government puts downward pressure on it’s tax revenue. It’s just the way it is right now.

Stronger hourly wages and middle income salaries (influenced heavily by hourly wages) means stronger aggregate demand and a better economy for your area. A better economy for your area means your home is worth more…provided you can offer the next owner a school system that is top notch for their kids, in which case your home is worth even more. But, that was not to be (or quite frankly even completely available throught Barrett) Sadly, now the inverse of these few simple economic observations unfortunately gets played out against all Wisconsinites regardless of whether or not they actually voted for or against Walker in the recall. Don't get confused. For all intents and purposes, the mechanics of macro economics yields only but few highly predictable responses to any policy or set of policies regardless of the author of the policy(ies) being a democrat or a republican, (if there is any difference between the two parties anymore).

What's more, I can’t emphasize it enough, Madison is not “sin-city”. And if you voted against State Worker Unions headquartered in Madison because they were getting something of value they didn’t deserve you blew it. Instead of voting against them for their allegedly getting something of value they didn’t deserve you needed to vote for them in order to get yourself what they were getting. And that is not going to happen now because of the increasing downward pressure on the State’s Revenue due to a bad wage and salary climate.

The rich not only don’t pay their fare share of taxes, but their personal expenditures don’t generate the economic stimulus necessary to maximize Government Revenue like it would if most all their income was paid out (with the exception of a modest savings rate) to survive like the rest of us.

So here we are. Careening toward a slave State. Politicians actually winning votes from the victims of their policies. Votes for a politician that won a recall by running on a platform of pro wealth concentration.

Walker, like Obama, is a con-man. Don’t feel bad. They’re out there. But do be careful in the future.